Trump leaves Hanoi without a deal after abrupt end to Kim summit

Celia Watts

Kim and Trump on Thursday started talks of their second summit for a second day in Vietnam's capital Hanoi to hammer out a deal for peace on and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

US intelligence officials have said there is no sign North Korea will give up its entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, which Kim's ruling family sees as vital to its survival, and analysts say Pyongyang is unlikely to commit to significant steps without an easing of punishing USA -led sanctions.

Asked about the possibility of a liaison office - below the level of an embassy - in between talks sessions on the second day of the Hanoisummit, Kim told reporters: "I think it is something that is worth welcoming".

"The relationship is just very strong and when you have a good relationship a lot of good things happen", said Trump.

Trump, who is holding his second summit with Kim following their historic meeting in Singapore last June, was referring to a timeline on denuclearization and the dismantlement of North Korean weapons production facilities.

Mr Kim fielded questions from Western journalists for likely the first time, with the reporters receiving some coaching from the president, who implored, "And don't raise your voice, please".

The second meeting of the United States and North Korean leaders had raised hopes of a more concrete outcome than the vaguely worded statement issued after their first summit in Singapore in June a year ago. It's an honor to be together in, really, a country, Vietnam, where they've really rolled out the red carpet and they've - they're very honored to have us.

The United Nations and the USA tightened sanctions on North Korea after a flurry of nuclear and missile tests in 2016-2017.

Hours before he sat down again with Kim, Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, delivered explosive congressional testimony claiming the president is a "conman" who lied about his business interests with Russian Federation.

Sarri not sure about Kepa's return to Chelsea teamOn a personal note this is something I started working towards seven years ago when I was a Spurs player. Cahill was linked with a January move to relegation-threatened Fulham, which did not transpire.

Trump has once again asserted that he was in "no rush" to make an agreement - following an early report by NBC that the United States was prepared to back away from a demand that North Korea provide a full accounting of its nuclear weapons programs.

The main negotiation part of the summit lasted more than two hours. "Some people would like to see it go quicker - I'm satisfied, you're satisfied, we want to be happy with what we're doing".

'I have a feeling that good results will come, ' Kim added.

Washington has demanded North Korea's complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization before sanctions can be lifted, a position Pyongyang has denounced as "gangster like".

The two leaders' interpreters were the only others privy to their conversation, raising concerns about why Trump would risk meeting Kim, who has threatened the US with nuclear strikes and has a dismal human rights record, without staff to take notes. "And, there were a lot of great ideas being thrown about", Trump said.

Trump added that he still believes the country still has "huge potential" and he'd like to "keep the relationship".

A reporter asked Kim in Korean if he was confident of an agreement.

"If we have some concrete steps that show North Korea is going to take some steps toward denuclearising, then I am not so sure that it is necessary to engage in six-party talks", he said.

Outside the hotel, heavy security that included Kim's entourage of North Korean bodyguards surrounded the area.

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